Vijñāna Bhairava Tantra 4–6: Negating Composite Models

Nāda, bindu, cakra, Parā/Aparā, and all divisions fall short; the highest is indivisible, not built from parts.

Dr. Ronald Steiner 25.03.2026

Vijñāna Bhairava Tantra 4

नादबिन्दुमयं वापि किं चन्द्रार्धनिरोधिकाः |

nāda-bindu-mayaṃ vāpi; kiṃ candrārdha-nirodhikāḥ | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

nāda dvandva-compound	nāda substantive masculine	of sound, of Nāda
bindu tatpuruṣa-compound ablative	bindu substantive masculine	of the point, of bindu
mayam accusative singular neuter	maya adjective	consisting of, filled with, formed from
vā	vā particle	or
api	api particle	also
kiṃ accusative singular neuter	kim pronoun inter	what
candra tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	candra substantive masculine	of the moon
ardha tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	ardha substantive neuter	of the half
nirodhikāḥ nominative plural feminine	nirodhikā substantive feminine	the restraints, the checks

चक्रारूढमनच्कं वा किं वा शक्तिस्वरूपकम् ||4||

cakrārūḍham anackaṃ vā; kiṃ vā śakti-svarūpakam ||4|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

cakra tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	cakra substantive neuter	in the cakra, on the wheel
ārūḍham accusative singular neuter past participle passive	ā previx ruh verbal root	risen, situated on
anackam accusative singular neuter	anacka substantive neuter	the unutterable
vā	vā particle	or
kiṃ accusative singular neuter	kim pronoun inter	what
vā	vā particle	or
śakti tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	śakti substantive feminine	power, Śakti
svarūpakam accusative singular neuter	svarūpaka adjective	of own form, essential, consisting as own essence

Metre: Anuṣṭubh

Or also (vā api) [is it] composed of Nāda and Bindu (nāda-bindu-mayam | acc sg n)? What (kiṃ | acc sg n) [is it]? [Is it] the restraints of the half-moon (candrārdha-nirodhikāḥ | nom pl f)?
Or (vā) [is it] the unutterable (anackam | acc sg n), established in the cakra (cakrārūḍham | acc sg n)? Or (vā) what (kiṃ | acc sg n) [is it]? [Is it] of Śakti's own form (śakti-svarūpakam | acc sg n)?

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

O God, is the true essence made of Nāda and Bindu?
Is it found in the subtle phases of the inner moon?
Is it the unspeakable within the Cakra?
Or is it the very form of Śakti herself?

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

Vijñāna Bhairava Tantra 5

परापरायाः सकलमपरायाश्च वा पुनः |

parāparāyāḥ sakalam; aparāyāś ca vā punaḥ | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

parā dvandva-compound	parā substantive feminine	of Parā, of the transcendent power
aparāyāḥ tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	aparā substantive feminine	of Aparā, of the immanent power
sakalam accusative singular neuter	sakala adjective	the composite, the whole
aparāyāḥ genitive singular	aparā substantive feminine	of Aparā, of the immanent power
ca	ca particle	and
vā	vā particle	or
punaḥ	punar adverb	again, still, on the other hand

पराया यदि तद्वत्स्यात्परत्वं तद्विरुध्यते ||5||

parāyā yadi tadvat syāt; paratvaṃ tad virudhyate ||5|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

parāyā genitive singular	parā substantive feminine	of Parā, of the transcendent power
yadi	yadi particle	if
tadvat	tadvat adverb	thus, in this way
syāt 3rd person singular aktive optative	as verbal root	it would be
paratvam nominative singular	paratva substantive neuter	transcendence, highest state
tat nominative singular neuter	tad pronoun dem	that
virudhyate 3rd person singular medial present	vi previx rudh verbal root	contradicts, stands opposed

Metre: Anuṣṭubh

[Is] the composite (sakalam | acc sg n) [assigned] to the Parā-and-Aparā [power] (parā-aparāyāḥ | gen sg)?
Or (vā) again (punaḥ) to the Aparā [power] (aparāyāḥ | gen sg) [alone]?
If (yadi) it were (syāt | 3p sg act opt) so (tadvat), [assigned] to the Parā [power] (parāyā | gen sg) [alone],
then that (tat | nom sg n) would contradict (virudhyate | 3p sg med pres) transcendence (paratvam | nom sg).

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

Has this composite form arisen from both transcendent and immanent power?
Or only from immanent power?
But if it corresponded to the transcendent power alone, that would contradict the very nature of transcendence.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

Vijñāna Bhairava Tantra 6

न हि वर्णविभेदेन देहभेदेन वा भवेत् |

na hi varṇa-vibhedena; deha-bhedena vā bhavet | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

na	na particle	not
hi	hi particle	indeed, surely, for
varṇa tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	varṇa substantive masculine	of sound, of phoneme
vibhedena instrumental case singular	vibheda substantive masculine	through distinction, through division
deha tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	deha substantive masculine	of the body, the shape
bhedena instrumental case singular	bheda substantive masculine	through division, through distinction
vā	vā particle	or
bhavet 3rd person singular aktive optative	bhū verbal root	it would be, it would arise

परत्वं निष्कलत्वेन सकलत्वे न तद्भवेत् ||6||

paratvaṃ niṣkalatvena; sakalatve na tad bhavet ||6|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

paratvam nominative singular	paratva substantive neuter	transcendence, highest state
niṣkalatvena instrumental case singular	niṣkala adjective tva suffix	through the undividedness
sakalatve lokative singular	sakala adjective tva suffix	in state of the composite, in manifold state
na	na particle	not
tat nominative singular neuter	tad pronoun dem	that
bhavet 3rd person singular aktive optative	bhū verbal root	it would be, it would exist

Metre: Anuṣṭubh

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

The Highest does not arise from distinctions of sound or form. It is undivided.
Therefore this transcendence cannot truly belong to the realm of what is composite.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

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Dr. Ronald Steiner

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The "Yoga Doc" - Dr. Ronald Steiner is the founder of the AYI method. This method links traditional Ashtanga Yoga with innovative Yogatherapy and living Philosophy. This forms a practice that is personal for each and... more ›

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Vijñāna Bhairava Tantra 4–6: Negating Composite Models

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